Collar point hold down and tensioning device

ABSTRACT

IN A BUTTONHOLE OF THE COLLAR POINT, TENSION IN THE COLLAR POINT CAN BE ADJUSTED BY MOVING THE BUTTON-MEMBER ALONG THE SLOT. A COLLAR POINT HOLD DOWN AND TENSIONING DEVICE WHICH INCLUDES A SLIDEWAY ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF A SHIRT AND HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOT THEREIN AND A BUTTON-MEMBER SLIDEABLY RECEIVED IN THE SLOT SLIDEABLE ALONG THE SLIDEWAY. WHEN A BUTTON PORTION OF THE BUTTON-MEMBER IS INSERTED

COLLAR POINT HOLD DOWN ANDTENSIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1969 G. w. RUANE Dec. 14, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORGE W. RUANE Dec. 14, 1971 w, RUANE 3,626,516

COLLAR POINT HOLD DOWN AND TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE W. DUANE BY 2 1 d/ 4-x and United States Patent Olfice COLLAR POINT HOLD DOWN AND TENSIONING DEVICE George W. Ruane, 165 W. McMillan St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 Filed Nov. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 875,978 Int. Cl. A41b 3/00 US. Cl. 2-132 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collar point hold down and tensioning device which includes a slideway attached to the body of a shirt and having an elongated slot therein and a button-member slideably received in the slot slidea'ble along the slideway. When a button portion of the button-member is inserted in a buttonhole of the collar point, tension in the collar point can be adjusted by moving the button-member along the slot.

This invention relates to a device for holding down and tensioning a shirt collar point and to a shirt having collar points held down and stretched thereby.

An object of this invention is to provide a button-like device which holds a collar point in place and which can be adjustably positioned to adjust the tension in the collar point.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a collar point tensioning device having an exposed button member which can be interchangeable for decorative effects.

Briefly, this invention provides a collar point hold down and tensioning device for a shirt which includes a slideway attached to the body of the shirt having an elongated slot therein and a button-member slideably received in the slot and frictionally gripping the slideway so that, when a button portion of the button-member is inserted in a buttonhole of the collar point, tension in the collar point can be adjusted by moving the button-member.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shirt embodying collar point stretching and tensioning devices constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, the shirt being shown in position on a wearer;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the shirt illustrated in FIG. 1 with a collar point turned back to reveal details of construction of one of the collar point stretching and tensioning devices, a button member thereof being shown in exploded position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the collar point stretching and tensioning device shown in FIG. 2, a portion of the shirt body being shown in association therewith in dashed lines;

FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on the line 4--4 in FIG. 3, a portion of a collar point being shown in buttondown position in dashed lines;

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5--5 in FIG. 3 with the collar point being shown in button-down position in dashed lines;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken on the line 6-6- in FIG. 3 with the button member in exploded position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the shirt with the collar point buttoned down but in untensioned position; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the shirt 3,626,516 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 with the collar point buttoned down in tensioned position;

In the following detailed description and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

-In FIG. 1 is shown a shirt having a body 10 and a collar 12. The shirt is shown worn by a wearer 13 and having a tie 14 in place thereon. The collar 12 can be attached to the shirt body in the usual manner. Points 16 of the collar can be provided with buttonholes 17 (FIG. 2), only one of which is shown in detail. Each of the collar points is held in stretched and unwrinkled condition by means of hold-down and tensioning devices 18, one of which is provided for each collar point. As shown in FIG. 2, each holddown and tensioning device includes a slideway 19 attached to the body of the shirt by stitching 20. The stitching 20 extends through perforations 21 in the slideway 19.

The slideway 19 can be formed of stiff resilient plastic material such as one of the plastic materials known as Teflon or nylon. The slideway has an elongated body 22 in which is an elongated slot 23 (FIG. 2) having an enlarged portion 24 at an upper end thereof. The lower end of the slideway can be cut away as indicated at 26 and 27 so that, when the collar point is lowered, the entire slideway is covered thereby and the buttonhole 17 overlies the slot 23 in alignment therewith.

A button-member 29 is mounted in the slideway 19. The button-member 29 includes a head 31 and a shank 32, there being a circumferential groove 33 in the shank so that the lower end 34 of the shank forms an annular flange. The button-member 29 can be mounted on the slideway 19 with the shank of the button-member extending into the slot 23 of the slideway and with edges of side portions 36 and 37 of the slideway extending into the circumferential slot 33. The circumferential slot 33 of the shank of the button member is so dimensioned that the button member firmly grips the slideway but can be moved thercalong for adjustment purposes.

As shown in FIG. 2, appropriate decorations 39, such as an initial or the like can be placed on the head of the button-member. Button-rnembers can readily be removed from the slideway 19 and interchanged. The buttonmember 29 is slid to the enlarged end 24 of the slot 23 and is lifted therefrom. The enlarged end 24 of the slot is of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the lower end portion 34 of the shank of the button-member, and the button-member can be removed from the slideway and a new button-member can be inserted therein. The main portion of the shank of the button-member 29 is of a diameter greater than that of the enlarged end 24 of the slot so that, when the button-member 29 is inserted in the slot, it is guided into position for alignment of the circumferential slot 33 with the slideway so that the button-member can readily be slid to the position shown in FIG. 5 where the button-member 29 grips the slideway but can be moved therealong.

When the button-member is in use, the head of the button-member is inserted through the buttonhole 17 in the collar point 16 thereabove. If the button-member is incorrectly positioned, the collar point can be wrinkled as indicated in FIG. 8. The button-member is then slid along the sildeway to correct position at which the collar point is tensioned and unwrinkled, as shown in FIG. 8, and friction between the button-member and the slideway hold the button member in position, the distance the button-member slides being indicated at L.

The collar point hold-down and tensioning device illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a shirt having a collar provided with collar points in which buttonholes are disposed, a collar point hold down and tensioning device which comprises a slideway attached to the body of the shirt under one of the collar points, there being an elongated slot in the slideway and a button-member slideably received in the slot and frictionally gripping the slideway, the buttonmember including a button portion insertable in the buttonhole of the collar point thereabove, the buttonmember including a shank having a circumferential slot there in, slideway portions on opposite sides of the slideway slot being received in the slot of the shank, there being References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,369,703 2/1921 OConnor 2-132 2,651,782 9/1953 Oulouhojian 2-132 2,726,400 12/1955 Ruane 2132 JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner 

